New
collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
05/15/2025
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
17,137
0
4,674
0
140,711
0
The U.S. Department of Education's
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) requests clearance for
new data collection activities to support the evaluation of the
84.421E Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2023 Disability Innovation Fund
(DIF), Pathways to Partnerships Innovative Model Demonstration
Project. The purpose of the DIF, as provided by the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103), is to support
innovative activities aimed at increasing competitive integrated
employment as defined in section 7 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 (Rehabilitation Act) (29 U.S.C. 705(5)) for children, youth,
and other individuals with disabilities. The program aims to create
systematic and seamless approaches to offering transition services
to children with disabilities, ages 10-13 and youth with
disabilities ages 14 to 24 through collaborations among State
vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, State education agencies
(SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), Federally funded Centers
for Independent Living (CILs), and other organizations offering
services to this population. RSA is investing a total of
$198,975,322 in grant funding to the 20 States through the FFY 2023
DIF. This request covers primary data collection activities for the
National Evaluation of the Pathways to Partnerships Program. These
activities include the following: o Surveys and interviews with
program participants or their parent or guardian o Surveys with
State VR, SEA, and CIL directors o Surveys and interviews with
project staff o Collecting project administrative data (staff
rosters, cost worksheets, and web analytics) from project directors
In September 2023, RSA awarded five-year cooperative agreements for
the 84.421E FFY 2023 DIF model demonstration projects. The awards
provide 20 State VR agencies or SEAs with funding to implement
Pathways to Partnerships model demonstration projects. The Pathways
to Partnerships models vary across the 20 projects, but the
projects' purpose is to create and implement systematic approaches
to delivering transition services to children and youth with
disabilities. The approaches must entail establishing close
partnerships across key agencies to deliver these services in ways
likely to improve the education and employment outcomes of children
and youth with disabilities.
US Code:
29
USC 705(5) Name of Law: Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as
amended
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.